§ Dr. Owen. asked the Prime Minister under what statute or administrative order or direction members of Government communications headquarters have been deprived of the right to remain members of a trade union.
§ The Prime MinisterThrough certificates issued under the Employment Protection Acts the provisions of the 1978 Act relating to trade union membership and activities will no longer apply to staff of GCHQ. With effect from 1 March, it will be a condition of service that staff only belong to a staff association approved by the director of GCHQ.
§ Dr. Owenasked the Prime Minister when in 1983 the work of the Government communications headquarters was acknowledged as that of an intelligence agency; what was the form of the acknowledgement; and what new information was then revealed.
§ The Prime MinisterIn my statement of 12 May 1983 I said
The functions of GCHQ, which are carried out under the Ministerial responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Foreign and Commonwealth Secretary, are to ensure the security of the United Kingdom's military and official communications, and to provide signals intelligence in accordance with requirements laid upon it by the Government in support of the Government's defence and foreign policies.This was the first public reference by a member of Her Majesty's Government to GCHQ's function of providing signals intelligence.
§ Dr. Owenasked the Prime Minister if the Government will now seek to move to appoint a Select Committee of both Houses comprised of Privy Councillors to report on what changes are desirable at Government communications headquarters in the national interest; and if she will postpone implementation of the statement of Wednesday 25 January until the Select Committee has reported and its report has been debated in both Houses of Parliament.
§ The Prime MinisterNo.
§ Dr. Owenasked the Prime Minister, pursuant to her reply to the right hon. Member for Plymouth, Devonport on 26 January, Official Report, c. 1049, if she will consider introducing a no-strike agreement in a context where trade unionists empowered to negotiate on behalf of the staff are employed within the Government communications headquarters and so fully informed about the detailed work of the staff.
§ The Prime MinisterThe possibility of seeking such an agreement was considered before the decision was made to take the course of action described in my right120W hon. Friend's statement of 25 January. But it would not give a sufficient guarantee of protection for the work of GCHQ.
§ Dr. Owenasked the Prime Minister what was the reason for the delay in introducing the measures relating to the Government communications headquarters from the middle of 1983, when it was acknowledged to be an intelligence agency, until 25 January.
§ The Prime MinisterThe acknowledgement was made on 12 May 1983. The time taken is not unreasonable for such a matter.
§ Dr. Owenasked the Prime Minister, pursuant to the reply of the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs to the right hon. Member for Leeds, East (Mr. Healey) on 25 January, Official Report, c. 918, what is the basis for the statement that the matter of the announcement of 25 January relating to Government communications headquarters is not for the Security Commission.
§ The Prime MinisterThe terms of reference of the Security Commission require the Commission, if so requested by the Prime Minister, to investigate and report upon the circumstances in which a breach of security is known to have occurred in the public service and, in the light of any such investigation, to advise whether any change in security arrangements is necessary or desirable. The changes at GCHQ to which my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs referred in his statement on 25 January 1984 do not fall within these terms of reference.